Our son, Michael Fisher, was born with a heart defect known as subaortic stenosis. His physicians followed him annually. Tragically, on September 24, 2010, Michael collapsed while playing hockey in Dennis Township, New Jersey, and died shortly thereafter from his heart defect. He was 15 years old.

Michael attended Cape May County Technical School, where he was an honor-roll student in the Allied Medical Program. He dreamed of becoming a nurse practitioner. Michael was a friend to everyone. He was kind and always stood up for the underdog.

In his memory, and to raise awareness of children living with heart defects, we raise funds for Deborah Heart and Lung Center and the Michael Fisher Scholarship Fund. We are also working to pass the Michael Fisher Law, which would require AEDs at youth recreational sports facilities.

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Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Young Athletes

Sudden cardiac deaths in athletes aged 11–29 are estimated to occur in the range of 1 in 50,000 to 1 in 80,000. Basketball and football account for a large share of these cases. Most events happen during exertion—practice, training, or competition.

When an on-site AED is used in the resuscitation of exercise-related sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in young athletes, survival rates as high as 89% have been reported. Early defibrillation is critical. In out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, survival drops approximately 7–10% for every minute without defibrillation. Because most athletic SCA events are witnessed, rapid response is possible when AEDs are immediately available.

Bottom line: SCA in youth sports is rare on a population basis, yet it remains the leading medical cause of sudden death in young athletes. The faster an AED is applied, the greater the chance of survival.

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Why AEDs Matter

The placement of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public locations has created a powerful tool for early defibrillation. Public-access defibrillation programs in casinos, airports, and universities have achieved survival rates of 41% to 74% when bystander CPR is provided and defibrillation occurs within 3 to 5 minutes of arrest. This success has prompted many schools, universities, and sporting organizations to place AEDs at athletic venues to protect both athletes and spectators.

AEDs are an essential component of any comprehensive emergency action plan for sudden cardiac arrest in the athletic setting.

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Congenital Heart Defects

According to the March of Dimes, congenital heart defects are the most common birth defect. In the United States alone, more than 40,000 babies are born each year with a congenital heart defect—approximately 1 in every 33 children. (For comparison, only 1 in 700 babies is born with Down syndrome.)

Some defects are mild and produce no outward symptoms. Others present as innocent murmurs that resolve on their own. Still others are severe enough that the newborn becomes ill shortly after birth, or symptoms appear later in childhood. Severe heart defects often require multiple surgeries, lifelong medications, and careful preventative care. For some, a heart transplant is the only option.

According to the CDC, between 1999 and 2006 there were 41,494 deaths in the United States related to congenital heart defects. Of these, CHDs were listed as the underlying cause of death for 27,960 people. Nearly half (48%) of those deaths occurred during infancy (under 1 year of age). As more children with heart abnormalities survive into adulthood, ongoing research is needed to address their long-term medical needs.

At least half a million children in the U.S. have some form of cardiac problem (excluding high blood pressure). Approximately one million people are living with congenital heart defects today (American Heart Association). Heart defects can also be part of a broader pattern of birth defects.

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